Driven by a desire for personalised, comfortable and cost-effective senior care solutions, a growing number of families in Australia choose home care services for their elderly loved ones. This reflects the trend of seniors ageing in place, valuing independence and the familiar warmth of home. This trend, however, comes with a challenge: ensuring a senior’s home is a safe and feasible environment for ageing in place. Other than installing grab bars and removing trip hazards, you should also focus on treating electrical services as a critical component of modern home care.
Electrical Infrastructure and Demand in Home Health Care
Many seniors ageing in place use home health devices, like ventilators and dialysis machines. Such home health equipment requires a high-quality alternating current to function correctly. Before installing such medical equipment, it’s crucial to consult a professional electrician to ensure the electrical framework in your senior loved one’s home is suitable. These devices are also vulnerable to power disturbances like surges and outages, so consider equipping their home with a backup power supply.
Moreover, many Australian households use air conditioning regularly, especially in areas with hot weather and high humidity. A comfortable home temperature is particularly important for seniors with respiratory illnesses. The combined use of medical equipment like oxygen concentrators and continuous cooling through air conditioning systems can place a strain on a home’s electrical system. That’s not to mention that some homes nowadays are also equipped with modern appliances and automated systems that may have additional electrical demand.
The risk of putting such strain on a residential electrical infrastructure without expert guidance can be severe. Appliances & equipment may malfunction, and faulty wiring can damage critical home health devices and even cause house fires.
So, if there’s one thing you can do to make sure your senior loved one remains safe while ageing in place, it is to get professional electrical services. Hire experienced electricians to check whether the property can meet the electrical demand of modern home care.
Safeguarding Home Health Devices
When talking about electrical infrastructure and home health care, you should also consider safeguarding home health devices. Begin by exploring surge suppressors; they are vital for protecting medical-grade equipment from spikes and surges.
Also, it’s important to understand the difference between power strips and surge suppressors. A power strip offers limited or no protection, while a suppressor has certain protective elements. Surge suppressors are rated by the size of the voltage spike they can manage, measured in Joules, so it’s essential to match equipment with a surge suppressor that has an appropriate Joule rating. An electrician can assist in choosing the right surge suppressors to protect home health equipment.
Equipping Seniors’ Homes with Generators
More often than not, inclement weather comes with power outages. To ensure your senior loved one’s home remains comfortable and safe during bad weather, equip it with generators. These can keep medical equipment functional during power outages. Also, medical needs requiring electricity aren’t always limited to machines. Some medications, such as insulin, must be kept refrigerated. During an outage, a small refrigerator connected to a generator can keep these essential items safe.
The required size and type of generator depend on the equipment it will run and any other household needs. Each piece of equipment should have a manual detailing the amount of electricity required for its use. Factors like fuel type, home size and generator setting also play a role. Talk to a qualified electrician to determine the most appropriate size and type of generator for your parents’ or grandparents’ household.
Inclement weather can also bring electrical hazards, including burns and shocks. Even small amounts of water entering a home can damage electrical equipment, and nearby lightning strikes or power surges can affect electronics. After a bad storm, it’s crucial to have an electrician inspect your senior loved one’s home’s wiring and any home health equipment to ensure no damage has occurred.
Summing It Up
In conclusion, ensuring a safe and comfortable home for your senior loved ones as they age in place is deeply intertwined with the reliability and efficiency of their home’s electrical system. It will be a huge help for them when you engage experienced electricians to ensure their homes meet the increased electrical demands and are safeguarded against potential hazards. Whether it’s through installing surge suppressors, setting up generators or conducting thorough electrical inspections post-inclement weather, you can help create a secure environment where your ageing parents or grandparents can thrive.
